PRESENT STATE OF THE VETERINARY PROFESSION. 637 
do I imagine thatTuE Veterinarian will suffer, as some sup- 
pose, from their absence, for the merits of them will, no doubt, 
meet with and cause much animated paper discussion through 
your pages. 
After the multiplicity of opinions, and numerous verdicts of 
guilty, that have been given upon the Circular of the English 
Agricultural Society, l will content myself with merely stating 
that they have been doubly injurious to the country practitioner; 
in the first place, by depriving him of many patients, but more 
in the annoyance of preventing him from being called in until 
after the eleventh hour, or, in short, just in time to painfully 
record the verdict of “ killed by the advice and recommendation 
of the English Agricultural Society.” 
Had it not been, Sir, for the observations that fell from the 
lips of a nobleman standing so pre-eminent in the agricultural 
world — my Lord Spencer — at the late Council Dinner of that 
body, at Liverpool, in July, I would have added no more to this 
long letter; but his Lordship, speaking of the late epizootic, after 
taking credit to himself for first suggesting the circular that was 
finally manufactured by Mr. Sewell, says that no one was more 
competent to the task (you. Sir, if there, could have told him 
there were many equally so), goes on to state that they have 
received 600 answers to their queries, subsequently issued, but 
that they were of so complicated a nature that but little good 
could be derived from them. But, Sir, mark what follows: — his 
Lordship actually says, in the face of all the leading farmers of 
the country, that “ if the Society has not done much good, it 
lias prevented a great deal of harm or mischief, for it has saved 
the farmer from the imposition of the horse and cow-doctor 
Now, Sir, if this is meant for us poor country veterinarians, 
I for one, with all due respect to his Lordship’s exalted rank, 
repel the assertion with the greatest contempt. Let us ask his 
Lordship, out of the 600 circulars received, how many, not from 
veterinary men, are worthy of record ? 
Secondly, I would ask you, Sir — who, I have some reason to 
hope, at the present moment are occupied in reviewing all you 
have heard upon it with the intention of giving us something 
good — where from the complicated mass you will be able to ex- 
tract much worth your notice, except from veterinary men ? 
Again, have not the already recorded papers of many veterinary 
surgeons proved that they were equally, or, in fact, far more 
happy in their treatment than the learned Professor? 
I trust that I shall not be wanting in that due respect to the 
Professor to which his situation and his talents entitle him, yet 
I do not see any reason why he should be held up to the world 
